The term micro electromechanical system (MEMS) or micro mechanical system/structure is often used to refer to small integrated devices or systems that combine electrical and mechanical components. When focusing on the micro mechanical parts, the term “micro mechanical system” may be used to describe small integrated devices or systems which comprises one or more micro mechanical elements and possibly, but not necessarily, electrical components and/or electronic components.
Micro mechanical systems may be used as, for example, actuators, transducers or sensors, e.g. pressure sensors. Pressure sensors are nowadays mass products in automobile electronics and consumer goods electronics. For many of these applications, systems are used in which the MEMS sensor is controlled and/or operated with the aid of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In such examples, the MEMS sensor and the ASIC may be included in a MEMS package.
The mechanically active elements of a MEMS package may typically require relatively complex structures, such as recesses, beams, cantilevers, undercuts, cavities etc. Possibly, a relatively high number of manufacturing steps are required. Furthermore, the process used for manufacturing the MEMS package may need to be compatible with possible subsequent manufacturing steps that are used for creating electrical and/or electronic components, for example. Consequently, improvements in methods of manufacturing a MEMS package may be required.